I like both actors and their work. They're talented actors. And Mel is a talented director. But why should I care about their personal lives?

Same thing with such actresses as Lindsay Lohan and Angelina Jolie, two fine modern acresses.

Actors like them are talented because their emotional makeup allows them to "get inside" a character. For that reason, they tend to "act out" things in their personal lives. They also are more likely to have "substance abuse" problems, as they say.

Back in college 36 years ago I tried out for a school play. I was as wooden as a No. 2 lead pencil. Realizing I wasn't going to become another Brando, I took up another line of work.

Like a lot of things in life, there's an upside and a downside to acting talent. It's sort of how highly abstract people -- extreme nerds -- sometimes have difficulty connecting with more mundane things.

The only thing good to come from the Japanese earthquake is that Charlie and Mel and Lindsay will be off the front pages for a couple of days. After that, we'll have to ignore the gossip ourselves.

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